Reactor for exothermic or endothermic heterogeneous reactions

ABSTRACT

An isothermal reactor for carrying out heterogeneous exothermic or endothermic reactions, includes within a catalytic bed ( 3 ) housed in an appropriate outer shell ( 2 ), at least one tube ( 13 ) for the passage of a cooling or heating fluid which advantageously extends with a cone shaped helicoidal.

FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present invention relates to an isothermal reactor for carrying out exothermic or endothermic heterogeneous reactions, comprising:

-   -   a preferably vertical, outer shell of substantially cylindrical         shape;     -   at least one catalytic bed provided in the shell and comprising         opposed perforated side walls for the inlet of a flow comprising         reactants and the outlet of a flow comprising reacted         substances, respectively; and     -   at least one tube passing through said at least one catalytic         bed for the passage of a cooling or heating fluid.

In the following description and attached claims, with the term: “isothermal reactor”, it is intended to mean a reactor wherein the temperature within the catalytic bed(s) where the reaction takes place is maintained essentially constant, such reaction may be either exothermic or endothermic (in the jargon of the field the expression “pseudo-isothermal reactor” is also used).

Reactors of this kind may for example be employed in the synthesis of chemicals such as methanol or formaldehyde (strongly exothermic reactions) or styrene (strongly endothermic reactions).

As known, in the field of exothermic or endothermic heterogeneous synthesis, the need is more and more felt of realizing isothermal reactors of high capacity that on one side are easy to manufacture, reliable and require low investment and maintenance costs, and on the other side allow to operate with low pressure drops, low energy consumption and with a high heat exchange efficiency between the reactants and the cooling or heating fluid.

PRIOR ART

In order to comply with the above mentioned need, isothermal reactors have been proposed in the field, which are provided with a catalytic bed of radial type comprising a large number of vertical straight tubes within it for drawing off or supplying heat.

For example, DE-A-3 318 098 discloses an isothermal reactor for carrying out exothermic or endothermic heterogeneous syntheses wherein the gaseous reactants pass through the catalytic bed radially and come in contact with a plurality of vertical tubes arranged within said bed.

According to an embodiment which is not shown, it is also foreseen that the tubes for drawing off or supplying the heat extends helically about a central collector for the outlet of the reacted gases from the reactor.

In particular, the bundle of helicoidal tubes extends vertically between opposed upper and lower tube plates, wherein such tubes are twisted round each other.

It shall be noticed that helicoidal arrangements for the tubes for drawing off or supplying heat are known also in the isothermal reactors provided with axial catalytic bed. See for instance U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,413 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,365.

Although advantageous under certain aspects (for example, the radial arrangement of the catalytic bed allows to obtain in an easy and cost-effective way higher production capacities with lower pressure drops and lower energy consumption than with an axial bed), the isothermal reactor with a helicoidal tube bundle disclosed in DE-A-3 318 098 has a number of drawbacks, which are set forth hereinbelow.

First of all, the arrangement of the tubes as a helicoidal tube bundle—although better than the arrangement of vertical straight tubes—does not match effectively the temperature curve of the flow of gaseous reactants that pass through the catalytic bed with a radial motion.

In fact, the gas flow flowing perpendicularly with respect to the vertical extension of the helicoidal tubes, comes in contact—passing through the catalytic bed—with different tubes at different temperatures, and this causes a low heat exchange efficiency between the gaseous reactants and the cooling or heating fluid.

In other words, in case of an exothermic reactions with the gaseous reactants that flow in centripetal radial motion through the catalytic bed, the outer helicoidal tubes are crossed by a gas that has just started to react, and is thus relatively cold, whereas the helicoidal tubes which are closer to the core are crossed by a gas at higher and higher temperature that exchanges with them an ever increasing amount of heat until a point is reached, where the temperature of the reaction gas is at its maximum. From there on, the temperature decreases and hence the amount of heat which is absorbed by the helicoidal tubes arranged next to the gas outlet wall of the catalytic bed is progressively smaller. (see DE-A-3 318 098, FIG. 3).

Therefore, each helicoidal tube receives a different amount of heat and must stand a different thermal load. This causes a bad distribution of temperature within the catalytic bed detrimental for the heat exchange efficiency.

For example, whenever hot water flows inside the tubes as cooling means, and it is transformed into steam, it is clear that each tube of a helicoidal tube bundle as suggested in DE-A-3 318 098, produces a different amount of steam.

This implies relevant problems of control and feed/draw off for the cooling fluid at the tube plates, as well as a bad distribution of the water and of the steam inside said tubes.

In this respect, it is worth noticing how all the tubes of the isothermal reactor described in DE-A-3 318 098 are parallel to each other, that is to say they are fed from the same source and discharge at the same point. Hence the pressure drop available for each helicoidal tube is the same.

In DE-A-3 318 098, the helicoidal tubes in contact with the gaseous reactants at low temperature are subjected to a small thermal load, which means a low degree of vaporization of the water with ensuing low outlet velocity and therefore high water flow rates (calculated as mass flow rates). The helicoidal tubes in contact with the gaseous reactants at high temperature are instead subjected to a great thermal load, which means a high degree of vaporization of the water with ensuing high outlet velocity and therefore low water flow rates (calculated as mass flow rates).

Therefore, when the reactor is operating, a situation occurs wherein the coils which undergo the greatest thermal load are those which are supplied with less water and are prone to have an ever increasing degree of vaporization and an ever decreasing capacity of drawing off the heat. This brings to a far from optimum distribution of temperature within the catalytic bed, in case of slightly exothermic reactions such as the methanol synthesis whilst in case of fast and strongly exothermic reactions such as the formaldehyde synthesis, this may even bring to a temperature sharp rise.

Further on, the excessive vaporization promotes the formation inside the tubes of deposits of residues present in the water to the detriment of the heat exchange efficiency of the tubes themselves.

All these disadvantages are independent from the fact that the tubes are arranged at different distances depending on the profile of temperature of the gaseous reactants within the catalytic bed.

A further disadvantage of the reactor according to the prior art is given by the high structural complexity deriving from the helicoidal arrangement of the tube bundle that requires high investment and maintenance costs.

Further on, the provision of tube plates—which generally need to be very thick and hence expensive because of the difference of pressure between the gaseous reactants and the cooling or heating fluid—is a constraint as far as the number of tubes which may be arranged is concerned, with ensuing further detriment of the heat exchange efficiency of the reactor.

Because of these disadvantages, isothermal reactors for carrying out exothermic or endothermic heterogeneous synthesises with a radial catalytic bed and a helicoidal tube bundle have been indeed used quite seldom to date (and this is even more true for reactors with a vertical tube bundle), notwithstanding the ever increasing need felt in the field of having high capacity reactors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problem underlying the present invention is that of providing an isothermal reactor for carrying out exothermic or endothermic heterogeneous reactions which is easy to realize, reliable and requires low investment and maintenance costs and allows to operate with low pressure drop, low energy consumption and with a high heat exchange efficiency between the reactants and the cooling or heating fluid.

The aforesaid problem is solved, according to the invention, by a reactor of the above mentioned type, that is characterized in that said at least one tube for drawing off or supplying heat extends within said at least one catalytic bed with a cone shaped helicoidal.

Thanks to the present invention, it is advantageously possible to obtain—in an easy way—an isothermal reactor with a high heat exchange coefficient, to all advantage of the conversion yield and of the energy consumption.

In fact, differently from the cylindrical helicoidal tubes according to the prior art that extend from one end to the other of the catalytic bed in a direction substantially parallel with respect to the perforate side walls for the feed and extraction of the gaseous flow, in accordance with the present invention each single tube for drawing off or for supplying heat extends with a cone shaped helicoidal within the catalytic bed.

In this way, the various helicoids of every single tube with a progressively decreasing diameter towards the top of the cone are hit by portions of gaseous reactants at different temperatures, thus advantageously allowing all of the heat variations and thus the temperature profile of the reactants from the inlet to the outlet of the catalytic bed to be followed.

By consequence, whenever within the catalytic bed(s), a plurality of tubes is arranged according to the present invention, they all withstand the same thermal load. For example, in case of an exothermic reaction, with hot water as cooling fluid, all the tubes produce the same amount of steam (uniform distribution of the water and steam inside the tubes).

In other words, thanks to the present invention, each tube is able to draw off or to supply the same amount of heat and it is thus possible to obtain an optimum distribution of the temperature within the catalytic bed, also for strongly exothermic or endothermic reactions. This is to all advantage of the heat exchange efficiency of the catalytic bed and hence of the conversion yield inside the bed itself and of the respective energy consumption.

With respect to the above described isothermal reactor with reference to the prior art, the reactor according to the present invention allows to recover or supply heat at a higher thermal level, with ensuing increase of the heat exchange efficiency and of the conversion yield. Or, again, the conversion yield being the same as for the prior art, the increase of the heat exchange efficiency permits to decrease the required catalyst volume, with ensuing savings in terms of space and investment costs.

A further advantage of the present invention is that, when a plurality of tubes are arranged inside a catalytic bed, these may all be fed from a same source as there are no control problems for the supply and extraction of the cooling/heating fluid, all the tubes being subjected to the same thermal load.

Finally, it shall be noticed how the reactor according to the present invention is particularly easy to be realized and does not require tube plates, with ensuing relevant savings in terms of investment and maintenance costs.

The features and the advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following indicative and non-limiting description of an embodiment of the invention, made with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In such drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a partial view in longitudinal section of an isothermal reactor for carrying out exothermic or endothermic heterogeneous reactions according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged schematic prospective view of a detail of the reactor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged schematic view in longitudinal section of a detail of the reactor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view of a cone shaped helicoidal tube at constant pitch for the passage of a cooling or heating fluid, of the type employed in the reactor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic top view of the tube of FIG. 4 at variable pitch;

FIG. 6 shows a view in longitudinal section of an isothermal reactor for carrying out exothermic or endothermic heterogeneous reactions according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1-5, an isothermal reactor according to the present invention for carrying out exothermic or endothermic heterogeneous reactions is indicated in its whole with 1.

The reactor 1 comprises an outer shell 2 of substantially cylindrical shape, inside which a catalytic bed is housed, generally indicated with 3.

The catalytic bed 3 is delimited on its sides by opposed perforated side walls 4 and 5, for the inlet of a flow comprising reactants and for the outlet of a flow comprising reacted substances, respectively.

Generally speaking, the substances which are fed to the reactor 1 for carrying out the exothermic or endothermic heterogeneous syntheses are in gaseous phase.

Therefore, in the description below, with the terms: “flow comprising reactants” and “flow comprising reacted substances”, it is intended to mean a flow of gaseous reactants and a flow of reacted gases, respectively. It is anyway clear that the reactor according to the present invention might be employed also for reactions occurring in liquid phase or liquid/gaseous phase, respectively.

In the example described hereinbelow, the perforated walls 4 and 5 are hence gas permeable with respect to the inlet in the catalytic bed 3 of a flow of gaseous reactants and to the outlet of a flow of reacted gases, respectively.

The catalytic bed 3 is further delimited in its lower part by an unperforated bottom (not permeable to gases), that corresponds in the example of FIG. 1 with the bottom 6 of the reactor 1, and in its upper part by a perforated wall 7 (gas permeable) for the passage with axial motion through the bed 3 of a minor portion of the gaseous reactants.

In order to allow a correct axial-radial crossing of the catalytic bed 3, the radial part being preponderant with respect to the axial part, the side wall 5 has a small unperforated portion 5′ (not permeable to gases) that extends from an upper end thereof.

The wall 7 permeable to gases is anyway totally optional, featuring mainly the function of holding the catalyst (not represented in FIG. 1) inside the bed 3, so that it may be well left apart.

Alternatively, whenever a merely radial crossing of the catalytic bed is required, a wall 7 is provided, which is not perforated or anyway not permeable to the gas.

Both the catalytic bed of the radial type and, even in a more remarkable way, that of the axial-radial type are particularly advantageous as they allow to obtain high conversion yields and at the same time low pressure drops for the gaseous reactants, by making use of more active catalysts of smaller granulometry.

Between the shell 2 and the side wall 4 there is provided an annular space 8 for allowing an optimum distribution and feed of the gaseous reactants in the catalytic bed 3. To this end, the space 8 is in fluid communication with a gas inlet nozzle 9.

In turn, the side wall 5 defines inside it a duct 10 for the collection and ejection from the reactor of the flow of reacted gases. To this end, the duct 10 is in fluid communication with a gas outlet nozzle 11 and is closed on its upper side by a baffle 12 not permeable to gases.

In order to allow the draw off or the supply of heat from or to the gases flowing inside the catalytic bed 3, so as to maintain the reactor 1 isothermal, the bed 3 is crossed by a plurality of tubes, which are all indicated by numeral 13, for the passage of a cooling or heating fluid, respectively.

The cooling or heating fluid is fed to the tube 13 through a duct 14 in fluid communication with one or more inlet nozzles 15, and extracted from the tubes 13 through a duct 16 in fluid communication with one or more outlet nozzles 17.

The number of nozzles 15 and 17, respectively, (equal to two as far as the instant example is concerned) is chosen according to the cooling or heating fluid flow rate. Preferably, the more relevant such flow rate, the larger the number of outlet nozzles 15 and 17.

The duct(s) 14 are in fluid communication with the nozzle(s) (15) through a toroidal collector 14 a, whereas the duct(s) 16 are in fluid communication with the nozzle(s) 17 through a toroidal collector 16 a.

According to a particularly advantageous aspect of the present invention, the tubes 13 for drawing off or supplying heat, extend within the catalytic bed 3 with a cone shaped helicoidal.

In doing so, each helicoid of the tube 13 is crossed by a portion of reactant gases at different temperature, thus being able to follow all the thermal variations, and hence the temperature profile, of the reactant gases from the inlet to the outlet of the catalytic bed 3.

The tubes 13 having a cone shaped helicoidal, all undergo the same thermal load and operate hence in the same way.

This results in an optimal distribution of the temperatures inside bed 3, without the risk of sharp temperature rises, and in an efficient heat exchange between the gaseous reactants and the cooling or heating fluid to all advantage of the conversion yield and of the energy consumption.

It is clear, that within the scope of the present invention, there is also foreseen a reactor 1 comprising a plurality of catalytic beds 3, wherein the beds may be crossed by a variable number of tubes 13 (at least one) according to the exothermal or endothermal degree of the reaction and/or the dimensions of the catalytic bed.

In the scope of the present invention it is also comprised a reactor 1 comprising one or more catalytic beds crossed by the flow of reactants with mainly radial motion from the centre (duct 10) towards the outer periphery (space 8).

The tubes 13 may be singularly connected to the nozzles 15 and 17, and hence each tube 13 is connected to a feed duct 14 and a duct 16 for drawing off the cooling or heating fluid, respectively. They can also be connected to groups of at least two tubes, i.e. to a duct 14 and a duct 16 for each group of tubes 13 (FIG. 1) They can even be connected through a single duct 14 and a single duct 16, with all the tubes 13 connected to each other (i.e. arranged in series), or else with the tubes 13 all directly connected to the single duct 14 and 16 (FIG. 6).

Preferably, the tubes 13 are connected to each other—at respective free ends—in groups of at least two tubes (three in the example of FIG. 1), each group being in fluid communication with a duct 14 for feeding and a duct 16 for drawing off the cooling or heating fluid, respectively. The various ducts 14 and 16 are, in turn, in fluid communication with the nozzle 15 and with the nozzle 17, respectively.

The connection between single adjacent tubes is accomplished by means of connecting pipes, all indicated with 19, as better shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In other words, the single tubes 13 inside each group of tubes are connected together in series whereas the various groups are arranged in parallel in the catalytic bed 3.

In case of a plurality of ducts 14 and 16, these lead into the respective collectors 14 a and 16 a as well as into the respective tubes 13 preferably at an angularly offset position with respect to each other.

In the example of FIG. 1, the first and the last group of tubes 13 comprised in the catalytic bed 3 are shown.

The cooling or heating fluid is fed by means of respective ducts 14 at one end of the lower tubes 13 of each group, it is made to pass through the tubes 13 of each group, wherein heat exchanges of the same entity take place. Finally, it is drawn off by means of respective ducts 16 from one end of the upper tubes 13 of each group.

Alternatively, it is possible to provide for a crossing of the groups of tubes by the cooling or heating fluid in a direction downwards. In this case, the fluid is fed to the tubes 13 through the ducts 16 and is drawn through the ducts 14.

It shall be noticed how the resulting construction is easy to build up and to operate, and how the provision of a tube plate is not required, with ensuing savings in terms of investment and maintenance costs with respect to the prior art.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is more advantageous than the one wherein each single tube 13 is separately connected to the nozzles 15 and 17, particularly for long reactors which are provided with a lot of tubes 13. In fact, the number of ducts 14 and 16 is reduced (depending on the number of tubes 13 making up each group), and the internal structure of the reactor and the constructive complexity are thus drastically simplified.

Further on, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is more advantageous than the one wherein all the tubes 13 are connected to each other (arranged in series), with the tubes at the respective lower and upper ends connected to a single duct 14 and 16, respectively, as there is a lower pressure drop for the cooling or heating fluid.

On the other hand, the structure with all the tubes 13 being connected to each other, is particularly easy to obtain, as it needs only one feed duct 14 and one drawing off duct 16 for the cooling or heating fluid.

This constructive simplicity is present also in the case in which the tubes 13 are directly connected to a single pipe 14 and 16 (arrangement in parallel of FIG. 6), however, without the disadvantages in terms of the pressure drop resulting from the aforementioned arrangement in series

The cone shaped helicoidal of the tubes 13 is particularly advantageous both in terms of heat exchange efficiency and as far as the constructive simplicity and flexibility is concerned.

The cone shaped helicoidal tube 13 may adapt itself to the most varying dimensions of the catalytic bed 3, and in particular it is able to cover all the portions of the same, thus allowing an effective heat exchange to take place everywhere in the bed.

Further on, according to the amount of heat to be drawn off or to be supplied, the spiral-shaped tube 13 may be constructed with helicoids at a more or less close distance.

In the example of FIG. 1, the cone shaped helicoidal tubes 13 develop upwards, with the hypothetical apex of the cone defined at the axis 18 of the reactor. Alternatively, such a development can take place downwards (embodiment not shown).

Preferably, the cone shaped helicoidal tube(s) crossing the catalytic bed for the removal or supply of heat are made with a constant radial pitch as shown in FIG. 4, i.e. having helicoids with a diameter that decreases in a constant way as one approaches the apex of the cone.

Alternatively, the diameter of the conical helicoids of a tube 13 can vary in a discontinuous way, so as to adapt itself to the temperature profile of the gaseous reactants within the catalytic bed 3, following all its thermal variations.

According to this embodiment, shown in FIG. 5, the radial pitch increases as one approaches the apex of the cone.

In order to take into account in the best way the heterogeneous distribution of the flow of gaseous reactants in the catalytic bed 3, in particular for an axial-radial bed, the tubes 13 may be advantageously arranged at a varying distance between them.

In doing so, it is possible to adapt the distance of the tubes 13 according to the amount of heat to be drawn off or to be supplied, in other words, following the temperature profile in the catalytic bed 3, to all advantage of the degree of heat exchange efficiency, which favorably affects the conversion yield and the energy consumption.

According to this embodiment, not shown, it is possible to obtain a higher concentration of tubes 13 (smaller distance between adjacent cone shaped helicoidal tubes) where there is a higher heat flow due to a greater concentration of gaseous reactants and hence greater thermal loads is to be found, and a lower concentration of tubes 13 (larger distance between adjacent cone shaped helicoidal tubes) where the concentration of gaseous reactants is lower.

Although it is not represented, it is, moreover, possible to foresee, at a determined conical surface inside the catalytic bed 3, many helicoidal tubes staggered from each other, that is which develop on respective threads, in order to advantageously increase the surface for the passage of fluid inside the spirals.

In FIG. 6 an isothermal reactor is shown, for carrying out exothermic or endothermic heterogeneous reactions according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

In such figure, the details of reactor 1 which are equivalent to those illustrated in FIG. 1 from the structure and operation point of view, will be indicated with the same reference numerals and will not be described any more.

In the example of FIG. 6, it is important to notice that the cone shaped helicoidal tubes 13 are all advantageously connected to the same duct 14 for feeding and to the same duct 16 for drawing off the cooling or heating fluid at the respective free ends, so as to form a single group of tubes 13 in parallel.

The reactor according to the present invention may be advantageously employed for carrying out essentially all kinds of exothermic or endothermic reactions. In particular, examples of exothermic reactions that are well suited for being carried out with the present invention may be: methanol, ammonia, formaldehyde, organic oxidation (for example ethylene oxide), whereas, examples of endothermic reactions may be: styrene and methylbenzene.

Fluids such as hot water, that transforms into steam at a high thermal level, or melted salts or diathermal oils are preferably used for drawing off the heat (in case of exothermic reactions). Analogous fluids may also be used for supplying heat in case of endothermic reactions.

The operation of the reactor 1 for carrying out exothermic or endothermic reactions according to the invention is described hereinbelow.

It shall be noticed how the operating conditions of pressure and temperature of the gaseous reactants fed to the catalytic bed 3 as well as those of the cooling or heating fluid passing through the tubes 13 are those conventional for the specific kind of reaction intended to be carried out, and therefore will not be described in specific detail in the description below.

As an example, only the operating conditions for the methanol synthesis are given: synthesis pressure 50-100 bar, synthesis temperature 200-300° C., pressure of the steam generated 15-40 bar.

With reference to FIG. 1, a flow of gaseous reactants is fed to the catalytic bed 3 through the gas inlet nozzle 9 and flows inside it through the perforated walls 4 and 7. The catalytic bed 3 is then crossed with a mainly radial (axial-radial) motion by the gaseous reactants that react when they enter in contact with the catalyst.

The heat developed during the synthesis reaction or required for carrying out such reaction is respectively drawn off or supplied by a fluid passing through the tubes 13.

Such fluid is introduced into the reactor 1 through the nozzle 15 and fed to the lower tubes 13 of each group through the ducts 14. Then it passes through the tubes 13 of each respective group that are connected in correspondence of their free ends by connecting pipes 19, it is drawn off from the upper tubes 13 of the respective groups through the ducts 16 and evacuated from reactor through the gas outlet duct 11.

Finally, the flow of reacted gases obtained in the catalytic bed 3 leaves the latter through the perforated wall 5, is collected in the duct 10 and then ejected from the reactor 1 through the gas outlet duct 11.

The operation of the reactor 1 of FIG. 6 is analogous to that of FIG. 1, with the exception that the tubes 13 are all in parallel and connected to a single duct 14 and 16. It follows that the cooling fluid is supplied at the same time to the tubes 13 through the duct 14, it flows through such tubes and comes out into the duct 16 to then be removed from the reactor 1 through the nozzle 17.

From the above description, the numerous advantages achieved by the present invention clearly arise, in particular the provision of a reactor for carrying out exothermic or endothermic reactions which is easy to realize, reliable and requires low investment and maintenance costs, and at the same time allows to operate at a high conversion yield, low pressure drops, low energy consumption and with a high efficiency of heat exchange between the gaseous reactants and the cooling or heating fluid. 

1. Isothermal reactor for carrying out heterogeneous exothermic or endothermic reactions, comprising: a preferably vertical, outer shell (2) of substantially cylindrical shape; at least one catalytic bed (3) provided in the shell (2) and comprising opposed perforated side walls (4, 5) for the inlet of a flow comprising reactants and the outlet of a flow comprising reacted substances, respectively; and at least one tube (13) passing through said at least one catalytic bed (3) for the passage of a cooling or heating fluid; characterized in that said at least one tube (13) extends within said at least one catalytic bed (3) with a cone shaped helicoidal.
 2. Reactor according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one tube (3) extends with a cone shaped the helicoidal, the helicoidal having a constant radial pitch.
 3. Reactor according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one tube (3) extends with a cone shaped helicoidal, the helicoidal having variable radial pitch.
 4. Reactor according to claim 3, characterized in that said radial pitch increases as one approaches the apex of the cone.
 5. Reactor according to claim 4, characterized in that said radial pitch decreases as the radius of the spiral increases.
 6. Reactor according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of tubes (13) arranged in said at least one catalytic bed (3) at a variable distance between adjacent tubes (13).
 7. Reactor according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of tubes (13) in said at least one catalytic bed (3) overlaid with respect to each other and connected at respective free ends.
 8. Reactor according to claim 6, characterized in that said tubes (13) are connected to each other in groups of at least two tubes, each group being in fluid communication with a duct (14) for feeding and a duct (16) for drawing off said cooling or heating fluid.
 9. Reactor according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of tubes (13) in said at least one catalytic bed (3) overlaid with respect to each other and connected at respective free ends to a same duct (14) for feeding and to a same duct (16) for drawing off said cooling or heating fluid. 